to be totally disgruntled by SIl's opinion that I am overindulging my DC and "will rue the rod for my back"?

[ChaosTrulyReigns]

I have strived to teach the 4DC the value of monet and to avoid the crapcycle that is materialism.

Notsofarking DSIL has decided to have a face after a Christmas present discussion has decided that my DC are en route to SpoiltBratsVille and I am ruining them for life.

She believes that swapping DS's satsuma for a plum in his Christmas stocking is pandering to his citrus pernicketiness and will only further enhance food faffiness.

The 4 will also have a pot of bubbles, a pen, a rubber and a walnut in their stockings. All wrapped, which she is flabbergasted about.

They are having a quarter of a set of Mr Men books as their main present and I have managed to obtain an almost complete 500 piece Baked Bean jigsaw puzzle as a joint present to ensure hours of family fun.

"Beyond the pale" is how she describes this bounty. I was going to divide a net of chocolate-flavoured coins between them, but daren't now.

Not to drip feed - she doesn't have DC of her own, so her view may be slightly skewed on this topic.

Do you ever feel judged with regards to your benevolence?

AIBU to feel miffed at this judgeyness?

How is a pen, a rubber and a walnut spoiling them?

So you're spending probably less than £20 each on your children and she thinks you're spoiling them?

I'd say good on you>

But I don't get the almost complete jigsaw. There will be no sense of satisfaction of actually finishing it.

So no YANBU....except for the jigsaw, obviously, but that's just my opinion.

is this a joke?

fat too much! i would eat half the plum.

I was with you till the almost complete baked been jigsaw [hgrin]

I agree, I think half a plum should be enough. I'm assuming the others are sharing the satsuma? I would also keep half the jigsaw pieces back for next Christmas.

Or you could use the jigsaw as an advent calendar: give them one piece every day.

You've forgotten the lump of coal for their stockings

Value of monet [hhmm]? YABU, Turner is much better.

So, you're teaching your children about a famous artist? What's the problem?

A plum out of season is unforgivably indulgent. You are raising a brood of debauched roués.

kandinsky

A plum? In December? Can't he have something in season like a sprout?

Arf at 'chocolate-flavoured coins'.

I think you can stretch to a wooden top OP.

Really

And we are to believe that this story is real?

oh this is a joke

I was starting to think English christmas traditions were very odd

YabVVVVu, one present each is ample, personally I think since there are 4 children I think 1 present a year would be acceptable and just rotate who gets the present each year. A stocking full each AND a joint present is completely taking the mickey, your sil has a very good point. Spooky children won't benefit anyone in the long run!

Do they get a quarter of the set each? [hgrin]

Spoilt, not spooky...see, even my phone doesn't like the word Spoilt!!

:o

Hilarious [hgrin]

omg yabu
your SIL is so right you are spoiling your children, I bet you ven send them to school, they should be out working .

To really teach them the spirit of Christmas you should remove the last two pages of each Mr Man book and get them to write their own moralistic endings.

Thats what a good parent would do.